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WQD | Safe Drinking Water

Water Quality Division

Safe Drinking Water

Revised On: Feb. 6, 2024 - 12:50 p.m.

More than 6 million people in Arizona get drinking water from a regulated public water system overseen by ADEQ. To ensure the quality of tap water meets or exceeds state and federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards, ADEQ, with the help of local counties, assesses the drinking water source and supervises regulations that govern water system design, operation and construction. ADEQ helps measure drinking water quality through required scheduled tests of all public water systems for a wide variety of potential contaminants. As a result of these efforts, drinking water supplies in Arizona are among the cleanest in the country.

Water Management

ADEQ works closely with two of Arizona’s most populous counties to administer the provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act and Arizona’s drinking water rules. Maricopa County’s Drinking Water Program and the Pima County Health Department manage inspections, engineering plan reviews, and compliance and enforcement activities for all public water systems in their respective counties with ADEQ’s supervision. ADEQ also oversees all aspects of the state’s safe drinking water programs, except tribal lands, which are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Source Water Protection

ADEQ has a Source Water Protection program designed to protect drinking water sources from becoming contaminated in the future. The program builds upon the Wellhead Protection Program, to protect groundwater supplies that provide drinking water to the public. The program provides a mechanism through which ADEQ and local communities throughout Arizona can protect both surface and groundwater drinking water sources | Learn More >

Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)

The SDWIS database provides information related to regulated public water systems in the state | Access Database >

Questions, comments, concerns and/or edits regarding SDWIS? Contact a Compliance Assistance Coordinator (CAC) | View CAC List >

Drinking Water Capacity Development

This program is designed to strengthen the technical, managerial and financial (TMF) capacity of public water systems operations | Learn More >

Technical Assistance Program

ADEQ provides free TMF assistance to small public water systems using skilled professionals | Learn More >